Parenting the Winchester Way
by clair beaubien
Summary: Early series. John, Dean & Sam answer a parenting poll.


_**How many children do you have?  
**_Sam: None. Not yet. Someday I'd like to have children. I think.  
Dean: Technically, none. Theoretically, one. Realistically – sometimes it feels like _two_.  
John:That's really none of your business.

_**How old are they?  
**_Sam: Well, since they don't exist yet – zero.  
Dean: twenty-three and fifty-two. (and some days they both act like they're twelve.)  
John: Still none of your business.

_**Can you tell us one special thing about each of your children?  
**_Sam: If I _could_ tell you one special thing about my kids, I'd want it to be that they take after their mother.  
Dean: Just _one_ thing? Nope, can't tell you just _one_ special thing. Give me a year and I might just be able to fill you in.  
John: They're strong, they're smart, they're compassionate, they're determined – how long do you want me to go on? Because there isn't one thing that _isn't _special about my kids. If I have to pick one thing – Sammy can see the whole picture and focus on the individual. Dean can zero in on the details and see everything.

_**What are their strong points?  
**_Sam: In _this_ family? They better have a bullet proof sense of humor.  
Dean: Strength, intelligence, compassion, determination, dependability, resourcefulness – how much ink do you have?  
John: Their concern for the other guy. Their concern for each other. The fact that they can and will go toe to toe with their old man whenever they have to.

_**Do your children call you by name?  
**_Sam: I don't think children should call their parents by their given names. To me it denotes a lack of respect on the part of the child, and an implied abrogation of authority on the part of the parent.  
Dean: Yeah, they do. They call my name alllllllllllll the time.  
John: They call me by both names: _Dad_ or _Sir_.

_**How do you handle sibling rivalry?  
**_Sam: By ignoring my sibling.  
Dean: It doesn't bother me, I know Sammy's just jealous because I'm the taller, smarter, better looking brother.  
John: Rivalry? My boys would die for each other.

_**Would you allow your son or daughter to pierce body parts?  
**_Sam: That's a hard question. On the one hand, I'd want my kids to have autonomy in their choices and decisions. On the other hand – if they change their mind later, there will still always be a physical scar.  
Dean: My daughter can pierce her ears. My _daughter_. Her _ears._ Her ear _lobes. _And only _once_ in each ear.  
John: depends – whose body parts we talking about?

_**Would you allow your child to get a tattoo?  
**_Sam: Well, same as the piercing – it's a personal choice, once a child is old enough to make it for themselves. But it's also hard to undo if they change their mind.  
Dean: there have been times I wish I could tattoo "If found, please return to Dean…" on both of them!  
John: yeah, like they'd ask my permission first.

_**About how many hours a week do you spend doing things as a family?  
**_Sam: _one hundred and sixty eight.  
_Dean: what, like I'm supposed to count the hours? I spend all the _good_ hours of my week with my family.  
John: not nearly enough. There isn't too much time in the world to spend with my boys.

_**Are you careful about your child's diet?  
**_Sam: I don't know if I'd call it 'careful', but I'd want to be sure they ate a healthy, balanced diet.  
Dean: like our friend Pastor Jim says, "Y'gotta eat a peck of dirt before you die."  
John: Yeah, I'm always careful that they don't starve.

_**Are there any foods that you do not let your children eat?  
**_Sam: again, as long as they eat a healthy diet, anything else in moderation would be all right.  
Dean: I wouldn't let them eat stuff they're allergic to. You know, that's just common sense.  
John: yeah, I don't let them eat food that I don't know who or where it came from.

_**Are there any sports that you consider too dangerous to allow your child to try?  
**_Sam: As long as my child was physically capable of participating, I'd let them try.  
Dean: Bowling. There's a danger of being bored to death.  
John: No. There's nothing my boys can't handle when they put their minds to it.

_**What is your favorite children's book?  
**_Sam: I liked Harold and His Purple crayon. He was stuck in a room but he still managed to create worlds for himself. You know?  
Dean: Bunnicula. I scared the crap out of my brother reading him that book when he was four.  
John: Whatever my boys wanted me to read to them.

_**Do you help your children with their homework?  
**_Sam: I'd help my kids, sure.  
Dean: Yeah, I'd help them. Of course I would.  
John: I tried to help them, but they got smarter than me – fast. Like third grade fast. After that, they were teaching me things.

_**Do you think you do or would spoil your child?**_  
Sam: No, of course not. Well, yeah, probably. I'd want to give them everything.  
Dean: My kid wouldn't be spoiled. My kid would be _perfect._  
John: I wish I _could _spoil my kids. Sometimes just stopping for an ice cream is spoiling them. I'd give them the world if I could.

_**Have you ever changed cloth diapers with safety pins and rubber pants?  
**_Sam: I've never changed any diapers of any kind before.  
Dean: I prefer the "fill & toss" kind.  
John: what else would you change them with?

_**Do you think you are or would be a good parent?  
**_Sam: I want to be a good parent. But – can that question ever truly be answered until long after the parent is dead and the kids are parents themselves?  
Dean: I'd be an awesome Dad! You know – if I ever get the chance.  
John: I guess you'd have to ask my boys. But – looking at them, the men they've grown into, I guess I'm not as bad a father as I sometimes feel.

###


End file.
